Coin-operated mechanism for phonographs



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J H. LING. GOIN OPERATED MECHANISM FORPHONOGRAPHS. No. 495,557.

Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

Inn awful" 1721/1203 I/ (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. LING. COIN OPERATED MECHANISM FOR- PHONOGRAPHS. No. 495,557.Patented Apr. 18, 1893'.

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J. H. LING. (JOIN OPERATED MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS. No. 495,557. 7 -Patented Apr. 18, 1893.

Zia/671%? Win/657% (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

J. H. LING. 00m OPERATED MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAP'HS. No. 495,557.Patented Apr. 18 1893.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB H. LING, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

COIN-OPERATED MECHANISM FOR PHONOGRAPHS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 495,557, dated April18, 1893. Application filed June 4,1891. $eria1No. 395,137. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB II. LING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Coin-Operated Mechanismfor Phonographs, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in coin operatedmechanism and especially designed for use in connection withphonographs, &c., in which there is a movable part designed to bereturned to a definite point.

The invention relates first to the peculiar construction of the coinchutes whereby the operation of the machine with coins of improperdimensions or with slugs is prevented. Second, in the peculiarconstruction of the mechanism for setting the motor in operation. Third,in the peculiar construction of the return mechanism, and fourth, in thepeculiar construction, arrangement and combination of the various partsall as more fully hereinafter described.

In the drawings, I have shown my machine applied to aphonograph forwhich I have especially designed it.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a phonograph to which my invention isapplied. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevationthereof. Fig. 4 is a detached elevation of the slotted chute. Fig. 5 isa cross section on line :0 0c of the balanced chute. Fig. 6 is anenlarged section through the discharge chute and trip mechanism showingthe contact making device in elevation. Fig. 7 is a section on line y y,Fig. 6. Fig. Sis a detached perspective view of the return mechanism.Fig. 9 is a cross section thereof on line z-z, Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is aperspective view of the adjustable guide plates detached. Fig. 11 is avertical longitudinal section on line o-c Fig. 8. Fig. 12 is aperspective view of the guide finger and cap of the phonograph carriage,showing the finger turned at right angles to its normal position. Fig.13 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the spring supportingpost.

A is the casing divided by the lateral partitions B B intothe threechambers O G and In the upper chamber is a phonograph of ordinaryconstruction, comprising a cylinder a, a carriage b and a motor 0. Then10- tor is connected with any suitable battery having a make and breakconnection in the circuit controlled by my improved device.

I will now describe the construction of the coin chutes: D is a plateadapted to be sunk flush with the face of the casing, as plainly shownin Fig. 3 and provided with the diagonal aperture E of substantially thesize of the coin by which the machine is designed to be operated. Uponthe inner face of this plate and preferably formed integral therewith isthe downwardly extending inclined chute D, more plainly shown in Fig.4:, consisting of the lower bar E having the flat face F and the flangeor ledge F forming the notch for the lower edge of the coin to roll on.The upper edge of the coin is supported on the upper bar G which hassimply a flat face G. Between the two is an open slot H. Thisconstruction of chute causes the coin to rest partially upon its flatface and partially upon its edge, getting a sufficient amount offriction to prevent its moving at too great speed, and at the same timenot giving a sufficient amount of friction to cause a sticky or moistcoin to stop and clog it up. The slot H designed for an abrupt rightangle nickel machine is of slightly less width than the width of thatcoin, so that any coin of smaller size will fall through this slot andbe prevented from passing into the operating part of the machine. At thefoot of this chute is arranged a balanced or weighing chute I inclinedlongitudinally and laterally, and provided upon its lower edge with theflange I to cause the nickel to roll in substantially the mannerpreviously described. At its lower end this chute is provided with aflange J extending across the entire width of the chute and across theend of a lateral delivery chute J formed at the lower end of the chute.By providing a transverse flange or stop, at the lower end of this chuteso that the coin will be discharged from the side instead of the end,the coin is checked in its movement and the chute made to act morecorrectly and accurately. This chute is pivoted in the bifurcatedbracket K which is adjustably secured by means of a set screw or othersuitable device upon a standard K, these parts being so arranged thatthe bracket and chute may be adjusted rotatably as well as vertically.If desired, however, the vertical adjustment may be taken up in the baseplate L by the means shown in Fig. 3. The chute I is provided with thestem L preferably circular in cross section and screw threaded toreceive the counter balancing weight L which may be adjusted thereon byturning it to the right or left and thus balancing the chute with theutmost delicacy. Opposite the end of the chute D I secure the guardplate M to prevent the coin from jumping out of the chute I. I also,preferably separate the chute D and the upper edge of the chute I asufficient distance to cause the coin to jump in going from one chute tothe other. This is to prevent the operation of the machine by a nickelor other coin tied to a string. The slow movement of such an articlewould not carry it across the space and it would fall into the cabinetwithout operating the mechanism. Opposite the mouth of the dischargespout J is the mouth of a vertical chute M having the upper bent portionM so arranged that the upper edge of the chute would be at substantiallyright angles to the path of the discharge spout J. This chute is securedat its lower end to the walls of the chamber N formed integral with thebase plate, and extending above the same. This chamber N is preferablyof semi-globular shape and of suitable size to allow a coin to be movedfreely therein at any point around the trip bar N which is hinged at Oon the base plate," and extending across the base of the chute M withinthe chamber N, as plainly shown in Fig. 6. Below the chamber N isacorresponding chamber P of semi-globular shape formed within theflanged cup P andhaving a discharge nipple I? centrally secured to itslower edge and provided with a suitable screw thread to receive the nutP, which not only clamps the cup I? in position, but also clamps asafeor receptacle Q to the under side of the partition B, as plainly shownin Fig. 3. It will be seen from this description that a coin or slug ofless diameter than a nickel will fall through the slot 11; that a slowmoving coin will fall between the chute D and the chute I; that acoin ofproper size but of lightweight will fall upon the chute I, but will notbe of sufficient weight to move it downward a sufficient distance tobring the lateral discharge spout J opposite the mouth of the chute 1Wwhile if it were too heavy to move it below the month of said chute itwould fail to deliver it therein. If it be of the weight and size of a'nickel, or is a nickel itself, it will enter the mouth of the chute Mpassing therethrough, will strike the latch N and depress the same, thusbeing free to fall into the safe Q.

The trip bar or latch N is adapted to close the circuit by means ofmechanism of the following construction: R is a connecting cord or wireextending from the free end of the trip bar N to the outer end ofthe-spring hook R, as shown in Fig. 6. This spring hook engages with thelower end of the spring jack R whichcarries the contact block R Thespring hook R normally holds this block out of engagement with thecontacts S, (Figs. 6 and 7) which are connected respectively to theterminals of the electric circuits, secured in the binding posts S. Thiscircuit extends from the electric battery to the motor of thephonograph. The striking of the coin upon the spring latch N depressesthat latch releasing the spring jack which is moved into engagement withthe contacts by means of the spring S starting the motor in operation,which moves the phonograph carriage forwardly causing it to reproducewhatever is upon the cylinder.

The mechanism which I employ for automatically returning the phonographcarriage when it has reached the end of its movement is preferably ofthe following construction: 2 is a standard having the curved arm 3 atits lower end, and the jaw 4 adapted to engage with the frame of thephonograph, as plainly shown in Fig. 3, being clamped thereto by the setscrews 5. The standard 2 is screw threaded at its upper end to receivethe adjusting screws 6. Atthetop of this standard are secured by meansof the screw 7, the two plates 8 and 9. a slot 10 in which the pins 11engage, these pins being secured in the top of the standard, all soarranged that these plates may be adj usted vertically by means of thescrews 6 and 7, and may vbe adjusted in relation to each other to agreater or less length by loosening the screw 7 and sliding them uponeach other. At the forward edge these plates are provided with dependingflanges 12 and 13 respectively. The under-edge 14 of this flange forms aguide rail for the forward movement of the arm 24 on the phonographcarriage,while the upper edge 15 forms a return rail upon which this armrides. At the outer end of the flange 13 is formed an incline 16, whichacts as a switch rail to guide the arm 24 from the rail let to the rail15, a spring 17 acting to lift the arm 2a upon the switch rail as soonas it has passed beyond the end of the rail 14. At the outer end of theflange 12 is formed a stop 18 having the vertical guide face 19extending down beneath the return rail. In the plate 9, beside thisstop, and in the line of the return rail 15 is formed a well 20 ofsufficient depth to allow of the arm 24 to pass therethrough. It isevident that as the motor moves the carriage forward the counter motoror spring 21 will be put under tension, and when the carriage hasreached the end of the rail 14: it will be switched upon the return rail15. In this position the reproducing needle of the carriage will beraised above the path of the phonogram blank, and the counter motor willreturn it to its initial position. When it reaches the end of the returnrail,itwill strike the stop 18 and be guided by the vertical face Eachplate is provided with 19 in a line at right angles to the phonogramblank, thereby preventing any possibility of cutting or marring theblank as would be the case if the needle were allowed to scrape alongthe blank. In this return movement an arm 22 attached to the carriagestrikes the rock arm 23 of the spring jack, and withdraws it from thecontacts S allowing the spring hook R to re-engage therewith and hold itout of contact, thereby breaking the circuit and stopping the motor.

25 is a finger engaging under the rail 1a in the return movement of thecarriage, to prevent the tipping of the carriage by tipping the cabinetor casing.

26 is a standard secured to the shaft of one of the grooved wheels fordriving the carriage, to which one end of the spring 22 is attached.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a coin operated device aninclined balanced chute having an abrupt right angled lateral stop atits lower end, substantially as described.

2. In a coin operated mechanism, a chute inclined longitudinally andtransversely, a ledge at the lower edge thereof upon which the edge ofthe coin is adapted to run, an abrupt right angled stop at the end ofthe chute, a lateral spout on and extending beyond the edge of the chuteand a delivery spout across which the lateral spout oscillates,substantially as described.

3. In a coin operated mechanism an inclined counterbalanced chute, alateral spout thereon, extending outfrom and beyond the edge of thechute and a delivery spout across the open end of which the lateralspout oscillates, substantially as described.

4. In a coin operated device, the combination with a casing, of a platein the casing having an oblique slot therein, a grooved extension on theplate at the lower end of the slot, an extension on the plate at theupper end of the slot, a swinging obliquely arranged chute at the end ofand at an angle to the extension, a stop at the end of the chute and adelivery spout having its mouth arranged laterally beyond the chuteadjacent to the stop, substantially as described.

5. In a coin operated device, the combination with the slotted plate andguide leading therefrom, of a swinging chute having a counter weightthereon, a stop at the lower end of the chute, and a delivery spouthaving its mouth arranged at the side of the chute adjacent to the stop,substantially as described.

6. The combination with the phonograph carriage, the guide rail having acontinuous contact surface with which said carriage engages, the switchat the end of said guide rail, a well at the opposite end, a verticalstop extending across the end of the rail beyond the well and a springfor causing the carriage to engage with the switch, substantially asdescribed.

7. The combination with the phonograph carriage, a motor and a returnmechanism, rails with which the carriage engages in its forward andreturn movement, a switch at one end and a stop at the other end of saidrail forming a vertical guide for the carriage, substantially asdescribed.

8. In a coin operated phonograph,the combination with a phonograph of astandard having a threaded upper end a slotted plate, a nut below theplate engaging the threaded end of the standard and means for adjustablysecuring the plate to the standard, substantially as described.

9. In a coin operated phonograph, the combination with the phonograph,of the standard provided with pins 11, nut (3 threaded upon thestandard,plates S andtlhaving slots 10 therein and provided with flanges12 and 13 respectively and screw 7 for securing the plates to thestandard, substantially as described.

10. In a coin operated mechanism, a receiving chute inclinedtransversely and longitudinally, a ledge at the lower side thereof uponwhich the edge of the coin is adapted to run,

a longitudinally and transversely inclined balanced chute at the footthereof separated therefrom a distance sufficient to allow a coin topass between, and a spout located to one side of and beyond the lowerend of the balance chute a distance sufficient to permit the passage ofa coin,substantially as described.

11. In a coin operated device, the combination with the casing, of anopen sided chute, a laterally and vertically inclined chute below thesame at a point to form an intervening space between, an adjustablesupport, a pivotal connection between the same and said inclined chute,an adjustable counterweight on the inclined chute, a laterally arrangedstop on the lower end of the inclined chute and a delivery spout,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB H. LING. Witnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, N. L. Lrnnor.

